Clarence Thomas visits an old theme: Affirmative action is bad.

There’s one undeniable fact about U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas: He’s consistent. On Tuesday, speaking before an audience of Black-college presidents, the ultra-conservative justice, who was appointed by President G. H. Bush following the death of Thurgood Marshall, hammered home one of his favorite themes – that affirmative action is unconstitutional. Read more of what he said at BET.com/News. Nation’s top educator is canned in Miami. Rudy Crew, who just seven short months ago was lauded as the No. 1 school superintendent in America, was canned amid charges that his action within Miami-Dade County schools didn’t quite match the rhetoric. Find out more at BET.com/News.

Tennis star captures first U.S. Open title in six years

Serena Williams is a U.S. Open champion again. The star disposed of challenger Jelena Jankovic Sunday following a rainout of the scheduled Saturday competition. Last week, Williams eliminated her sister Venus from the tournament in the siblings’ first meeting since Venus captured the Wimbledon title earlier this year. The Open win is Serena’s first in six years, and the win makes her the No. 1 women’s tennis player in the world rankings.

Mike Jones is left bloody in scrap with Trae the Truth.

A reported fight backstage at the Ozone Awards left rapper Mike Jones with a bloody face after he apparently took a punch from Trae the Truth. The Houston rhymers apparently argued before at least one blow was exchanged. Jones is shown on Web video with a facial injury from the scrap. Trae released a video of his own, saying Jones had been “running his mouth too much.” He adds, “It’s a good thing it happened before the awards and I didn’t f**k up the awards.” Maybe Trae’s a candidate for “From G’s to Gents” after all.

Michael Misick and LisaRaye separate

Michael Misick, the premier of Turks and Caicos, who has been accused by his actress wife LisaRaye of cheating on her, released a statement late Tuesday acknowledging that the high-profile couple has split up. “I am announcing that I am separated from LisaRaye McCoy-Misick,” he told BET in a statement. “I am committed to dissolving the marriage amicably. I believe that this is a private matter and will have no further comments. I hope that our privacy will be respected.”

Tyra wants performers to move over for up-and-comers. Talk show host and “America’s Top Model” star Tyra Banks says Hollywood actresses and performers are taking contracts from the new breed of supermodels. Without calling names, Tyra observes that singers and actresses are recruited for product endorsements. “I think all supermodels now are losing out to celebrities,” says ex-model Banks. “It’s celebrities who are getting the cosmetics contracts.” Beyoncé and Queen Latifah are among the faces associated with cosmetics lines. Beyoncé recently drew some criticism for her appearance in a L’Oreal ad that some suggest depicts her with digitally lightened skin.

Episcopalians will apologize for their role in slavery. The Episcopal Church, which has been brazenly honest about its role in slavery in recent years, is stepping up efforts to show remorse for that horrifying period in U.S. history. On Oct. 3-4, the church will hold a “Day of Repentance” in Philadelphia to present a public apology for its complicity in the slave trade. “We hope to set a model for other denominations about how to face this dark, tragic part of our history, because we believe that only when you repent can you move on,” Jayne Oasin, program officer for the church’s Anti-Racism and Gender Equality program, told USA Today. Two years ago, the church, despite some opposition within the body, passed a resolution admitting the “deep and lasting injury which the institution of slavery and its aftermath have inflicted on society and on the church.” That was the same time that Michigan Democratic Congressman John Conyers announced a special commission to look into the potential for reparations. The slave trade was prohibited in the United States some 200 years ago, but the church, like many other of society’s institutions, has continued to reap the material benefits. As USA Today reports, “Many of its older churches were funded in part by profits from the slave trade, and the nation’s most famous Episcopalian, George Washington, was a slave-owner.” Says Oasin, “Since we were part of the problem, I feel we need to be a part of the solution.”

A Black man now heads Zale. Jewelry giant Zale Corp. has named an African American to head the firm, saying the promotion shows the company’s commitment to a diverse workforce. Named to the post was Theo Killion, 57, who used to be the executive vice president of human resources and legal and corporate strategy. “Theo is an outstanding manager with tremendous experience and leadership skills,” said CEO Neal Goldberg in a statement. While much of the business and economic world is staggering from a shaky economy, Zale has sparkled, raking in a whopping $2 billion in sales last year. Zale has more than 2,200 stores, and operates in retail locations throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Zale’s Jewelers, Zale’s Outlet and Gordon’s Jewelers are all Zale brands.

Bring That Week Back!

Da Brat (above) may face jail time, Wesley Snipes is order to pay the court, and protesters heckle presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama. Catch those and all the other top stories affecting Black America this week here.

Golf star gains Forbes magazine’s No. 1 rank.

Golf star Tiger Woods tops all takers in earnings from June 1, 2007 to June 1, 2008, according to Forbes magazine. Woods pulled down $115 million in competition earnings and endorsements, making him the top-paid pro player in the world. Others making the men’s top-earner list include retired NBA star Michael Jordan, who heads the Charlotte Bobcats, banked $45 million over 12 months, still snatching checks from his Nike brand endorsements. Male athletes out-earned female athletes by a collective $483 million compared with the women’s $118 million, according to Forbes.

Opening Olympics ceremonies begin today. It’s not only D. Wade, Kobe and King James who’ll hold court at the Beijing Olympics, which host opening ceremonies today. Elite Black athletes will compete in sports as diverse as track and swimming. The Williams family’s presence will be felt in women’s tennis, as Black stars appear among 11,000 athletes from 205 nations. You can follow BET.com to see who’s a contender and who brings home the gold.

Expansion team’s choice appears to be Thunder. The former Seattle Supersonics has apparently become the Oklahoma Thunder. But the new franchise’s name appeared on the Web without an official NBA announcement. Not long after the “Thunder” leak surfaced, the nickname was removed from the league’s site. Last month, the NBA had included Thunder among its potential choices after the city of Seattle let the team go to Oklahoma over complications with an arena lease.